Lean manufacturing is a concept that’s been around for generations. Some say it began with Eli Whitney’s concept of interchangeable parts; however, many consider Henry Ford the first practitioner of lean manufacturing, followed by Chevrolet’s Alfred Sloan.

Any conversation about construction industry trends in 2017 will have to consider the impact of the coming Trump administration in the United States. The uncertainty that plagued the construction industry last year while awaiting the election results could give way to cautious optimism.

During World War II, IBM punch cards and electric accounting machines kept track of U.S. military equipment and supplies around the world. After punch cards came barcodes, which revolutionized military asset tracking.

One of the most difficult things to track in a tool room is consumables. Items like nuts, bolts, drill bits, wire, work gloves and more are necessary for doing business; however, almost every company wants a way to cut the expenses related to these items.

When tracking tools and equipment, construction and mining companies must often contend with the harsh environments the tools are used in. Tools can become covered in dirt, grease and contaminants that make them difficult to track.

When a construction firm has multiple projects in the works, scheduling the use of equipment can often become complicated and cumbersome. This is especially true if there is a significant distance between projects or if the projects will require many of the same tools.

Accountability and efficiency aren’t concepts that are exclusive to big operations – it’s essential for construction firms of any size to know where their tools and equipment are and who is using them.

An antiquated tool inventory management system can cost your company a lot of time and manpower. Time-consuming, painstaking inventory management systems, such as those that are paper-based or Excel-based, simply don’t offer the level of functionality and service that automated solutions provide.